"Dave" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 16:02:03 -0600, "Bob Crantz"
said:

If the reduction of 5,000 men wasn't so drastic how come it did not occur?

Ever hear the phrase "squealing like a stuck pig?

My understanding is that the troop reduction would have come out of very
specialized units and the operational cost was much, much greater than the
monetary savings.

I'm sure if the 5,000 men was of no consequence, the Marines would have
obeyed.